


Affinity

by Arachne_Arachnid



Series: Oumami Prompts [5]
Category: New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: M/M, Starts sad but has happy ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-21
Updated: 2017-03-09
Packaged: 2018-09-18 21:40:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9404105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arachne_Arachnid/pseuds/Arachne_Arachnid
Summary: Ouma's desperately in love with Amami, but unfortunately, his friend is in love with Kaede.  He struggles every day as Amami seems to drift further away from him...





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Here's the prompt:  
> Imagine that person A of your OTP thinks they’re straight. Then they start noticing how pretty person B is (their best friend), and they start to question their sexuality. The only problem is that B is straight.  
> Bonus: Person B is falling in love/involved with someone else.  
> Double bonus: B finds out by accident.

de·spair

dəˈsper/

_noun_

noun: despair; plural noun: despairs

1\. the complete loss or absence of hope.

"driven to despair, he throws himself under a train"

 

 _"...Nishishi, I win...!" Ouma declared in a pleased tone, his dark violet eyes surveying the chess board that lay on the table in front of him, where he had just conquered Amami's king after a lengthy game of strategy, "...It's only fitting, I_ am _the Ultimate Supreme Ruler!"_

_Amami's lips curved upwards into a small smile, one that could only be described as the embodiment of good sportsmanship, and he ran one hand throughout his messy hair, his eyes like light green pits swirling with fondness as he replied softly, "...Ah, I suppose you did, didn't you? Good job, Ouma! I honestly didn't think I'd win, I don't really play chess often..."_

_Ouma's expression could scarcely be compared to anything but the cat that ate the canary, and he brought one finger to his lips, grinning ear to ear as he gloated, "Of course, no one could defeat a Supreme Ruler like myself!"_

_"...Aha, but what about the time Kiibo beat you at that one video game?" Amami teased in that captivatingly silky voice of his, his expression growing perplexed as he brought a finger to his chin, "...Hmm... what was it called again...?"_

_The smaller boy's smile immediately became a frown, and he crossed his arms as he pouted, crocodile tears gathering in the corners of his dark purple eyes, "That doesn't matter, he probably cheated because he's a robot! Why are you being so mean, Amami?"_

_Amami let out a small chuckle, his light green eyes knowing as he leaned forward so that their foreheads were all but touching, reaching to grasp Ouma's wrist, "...Ouma, you can't fool me with that..."_

_With the one hand he wasn't using to grab the smaller boy, he wiped away the fake tears streaming down from Ouma's dark purple eyes, leaning forward so that their lips were touching..._

 

Ouma awoke with a start; his chest constricting as he desperately fought to escape the grasp of his sheets and blankets, entangling him in their soft clutches.  His whole body trembled as he struggled in the darkness, grasping blindly at the black enveloping him, until his eyes finally adjusted to the gloom.  He inhaled a strained breath, clutching at his chest as he fell backwards on to the mattress, glancing up at the ceiling while pondering over what had just happened.

He'd had a dream about Amami, his best friend, but hadn't the other leaned in to kiss him at the end?  He rolled over on to his side, neglecting the white and black checkered covers strewn across the bed in favor of cradling one of his many pillows close to his chest, letting out a small sigh.  This had been the third night that he'd dreamt up something saccharine about Amami, and though initially he just thought it was nothing, now it was getting harder and harder for him to look at his friend without remembering how gentle his touch was, how Ouma's stomach felt as if it had butterflies in it every time the other so much as talked to him.

He shook his head in an attempt to rid himself of his foolish thoughts, though he still found himself falling asleep lonelier then ever before as he mused over how his bed was far too big for _just_ him...

~

Ouma could no longer deny his feelings for his childhood friend, that much was made clear as he seated himself beside Amami, the whole lunch room exploding in laughter and booming voices as the miscellany of kids talked amongst themselves, munching noisily on their food.  He sometimes found himself entranced by Amami's beauty, those cordial light green eyes, the pale skin that practically glowed when exposed to light, how he was almost always smiling.

"...Ah, Ouma, are you thinking about something...?" His stupor was interrupted by none other then Amami himself, the boy's voice smooth as always as he continued, a sheepish smile playing on his lips, "...Haha... sorry, you weren't really listening to me so I assumed you had something on your mind..."

 _If only you knew_ , Ouma couldn't help but think sullenly, though he faked a small smile, raising his arms behind his head as he replied, "...Nishishi... I could or I couldn't, who knows?"

"...Hmm... Well _I_ certainly don't..." Amami let out a carefree chuckle, though his light green eyes were filled with sincerity as he continued, resting a gentle hand on Ouma's shoulder, "...Haha... I'm not the SHSL Therapist or anything great like that, but if something's on your mind, don't bottle it up, okay?  I've been told I'm somewhat of a good listener, so if you need to talk, you can always come to me..."

Ouma had to applaud himself for not confessing right then and there, his eyes meeting Amami's in a blend of light green and dark purple, their lips so close to touching... He could feel his façade slowly slipping, and he relished in Amami's touch, a humorless laugh slipping passed his lips before he replied, "...Nishishi... I'm fine, Amami-chan, don't worry about me!"

That had to have been the biggest lie Ouma Kokichi had ever told.

~

And it wasn't the last either.  His adoration for Amami had grown almost unbearable, so much so that he'd had to cancel a couple of their plans, just because he wasn't sure he could be around the other boy without slipping up and revealing his true feelings.  He'd started noticing the little things now, like how the green haired boy seemed to follow a certain schedule with his earrings, different ones on different days, or how he would chuckle awkwardly and avoid everyone's gazes when he was flustered.  Nothing could have prepared him for what transpired when a new transfer student was announced, her name Kaede Akamatsu, and Amami was assigned the job of guiding her around the school.

He hadn't thought much of it at first, but he couldn't deny the envy that festered in his stomach when Amami would so much as smile or laugh when she made a joke, watching the two of them from where he sat at the back of the classroom.  For most of the lesson he did nothing but stare at them, only to quickly look away when his childhood friend would turn, his lips curved upwards into that carefree smile that made Ouma feel as if his chest had butterflies in it.  The class seemed to take an eternity to end, and his mood had been completely spoiled by the time that the bell rang; especially since they'd been assigned a project, and Amami had chosen _Kaede_ as his partner.

He knew it was a petty thing, unfitting of a Supreme Ruler such as himself, but he couldn't help but feel betrayed since usually him and Amami always did their projects together.  His life seemed to have gone horribly wrong ever since the Ultimate Pianist showed up, even if that was only a couple of hours ago, and he had to applaud himself for actually managing to fake a smile when Amami waved to him as he headed out of the class, beckoning for him to come over.  He feigned distress when he reached the boy, accompanied by Kaede, crocodile tears forming in the corners of his eyes as he pouted, the whine clear in his voice, "Amami-chan, why didn't you choose me to be your partner?  Are you bullying me?"

Kaede let out a small chuckle at his ridiculous behavior, and Amami smiled, running a hand throughout his messy light green hair as he replied, not bothering to look away from Kaede at Ouma as he replied, "Ah, Ouma, I'm sorry about that... I just thought that she'd probably be uncomfortable partnering with someone she wasn't familiar with..."

Ouma wiped the fake tears out of his eyes since Amami didn't even see them anyway (He was too busy _gawking_ at Kaede), and let out a small, strained laugh before responding, "...Nishishi... how familiar have you gotten with her, _Amami-chan_?"

"...O-Oh, don't say that...!" Kaede intervened before the light green haired boy could, her face becoming a rosy shade of red in a matter of seconds as she continued, an embarrassed smile on her face, "...Amami-kun's nice, but I'm not the type to start a relationship with someone without knowing anything about them!"

"...Nishishi... no need to get so flustered, Akamatsu-chan, I was only joking!" Ouma giggled mischievously, holding out one hand for the girl to shake as he continued, bringing a finger to his lips, "...It's nice to meet you, Akamatsu-chan, my name's Ouma!  I hope we can get along..."

"It's nice to meet you too, Ouma-kun!" Kaede beamed at him as she shook his hand, her expression growing perplexed as she continued, her eyes meeting Ouma's in a blend of dark purple and violet, "...Oh, but what's your talent?"

"...Hmm...?  Are you interested?" Ouma queried in a ridiculing tone that the they didn't seem to notice, his expression darkening as he smiled what could only be described as one of 'the cat that ate the canary', "I'm the leader of an evil secret society, it has over 10,000 members!"

Kaede's expression contorted to that of astonishment, rightfully so, and she tilted her head, light violet eyes swirling with intrigue, "...Huh...?  I'm not sure I really understand your talent, Ouma-kun, what do you mean?"

"Well, I'm the Ultimate Supreme Ruler!" There was _no_ way Amami could fall for this girl, she was just too average, _unworthy_ of someone like him, "...Nishishi... does that scare you?"

"Not really, Ouma-kun seems nice!" Kaede was like a ray of sunshine, and Ouma inwardly groaned at the happiness that seemed to radiate off of her, biting his lip in an attempt to stifle the angry protest rising in his throat when she took Amami's hand in her own, "It was nice talking to you!  I'm sure we'll get along great, Ouma-kun!"

And with that, she turned away, Amami following suite as they walked down the hallway, the _thud!_ of their footsteps echoing loudly off of the walls.  Ouma watched as they disappeared down the end of the corridor, his chest tightening as he fell to his knees, fighting back against tears.

~

_The sky was a blend of yellows, oranges, and reds that melted into each other to create a beautiful sunset, tinted pink as the sun slowly descended downward.  The playground, once a circus of children happily chatting to one another while playing on the many different attractions, was now quiet, aside from the creak! of the swing as Ouma kicked his legs back and forth.  Bruises peppered his arms, covered by his baggy white shirt, and he lowered his head so that he didn't have to look at the brightly colored sky, tears streaming down his cheeks._

_He could still feel the pain accompanying his many cuts and bruises, from where he'd been mercilessly beaten by the other kids, whom claimed he was 'all bark and no bite'.  They had pulled at his hair, threw him to the ground, kicked him repeatedly, but Ouma hadn't once begged for them to stop... because Supreme Rulers don't beg, right?  He could feel another sob rising in his throat, and he bit his lip, ceasing all movement when he heard the sound of  the sand crunching as someone approached him.  The swing to his left creaked as someone sat down, and immediately started swinging, humming a quiet tune casually to themselves._

_Ouma quickly wiped the tears out of his eyes, mustering up the courage to glance up at the person, his mouth falling open when he saw them.  A small boy, around his age, was swinging back and forth, his light green hair messy from the wind, and his eyes, colored the same as his hair, meeting Ouma's own._

_"Ah, hi!" The boy chuckled, his lips curving upwards into a friendly smile as he ceased his swinging, the chains creaking as he leaned forward so that their foreheads were practically touching,"...I saw you were alone over here, are you okay?"_

_"...I'm fine..." Ouma muttered under his breath, turning his head away so that the stranger couldn't see how red his eyes were, "...Just leave me alone..."_

_But that was just wishful thinking._

_"...Hmm..." The light green haired boy hummed softly to himself, bringing a finger to his lips as he spoke, "...You look like you were crying..."_

_Ouma's face became a rosy shade of red in a matter of seconds, like crimson paint on a white canvas, and he sputtered out a reply, irritation lighting his gaze, "I was not!  You're just seeing things!"_

_The boy seemed to ponder over his words for a second, before he hummed once more, resuming in his swinging as he responded, "...Hmm... maybe you're right..."_

_Silence overtook the two of them once more, and Ouma let out a disgruntled sigh, hopping off of his swing with the intention of abandoning the other kid at the playground and going home.  However, the thud! of his newfound 'companion' echoed throughout the park, and a flustered 'Wait!' filled his ears.  Dark purple eyes shimmering with annoyance, he turned to glance over his shoulder at the stranger, whom was smiling sheepishly as he raised one arm behind his head, "...Haha... I'm sorry, it's just, you seem lonely..."_

_"I'm fine," Ouma spat out the words through gritted teeth, frustrated by the boy's odd behavior as he continued matter of factly, "I'm going to rule the world one day!  Why would I be upset?"_

_The stranger blinked his light green eyes leisurely, seemingly not off put by Ouma's outburst at all, and he let out a small chuckle, his expression still as friendly as ever, "...Haha... I guess you're right..."_

_He smiled warmly at Ouma, reaching out to grab the other boy's hand as he continued, his light green eyes swirling with sincerity, "But even super cool leaders need someone to lean on sometimes, don't they?  Like... um, what was his name?  Sorry, I read a lot of comic books, but I don't really have a good memory, haha..."_

_Ouma's expression lit up at the mention of comics, and he couldn't stop himself from responding, a small smile forming on his face, "I love comic books!"_

_"...Really...?" The stranger's eyes were like light green pools of happiness, and he made several hand motions as he explained his favorites, discussing each of them with Ouma, whom threw in his own comments here and there._

_By the time that their conversation came to an end, the colorful sunset had faded to black, white dots littering its dark canvas that practically made Ouma's pale skin glow.  The other boy, whom he had learned was named Amami, glanced up at the dark night sky, his light green eyes shimmering with delight as they sat there in silence, just enjoying each other's presence.  Eventually, he turned to Ouma, an apologetic smile on his face as he spoke softly, "...Ah, my parents are probably going to be mad, I didn't mean to stay out so late..."_

_He lifted himself up, much to Ouma's dismay, and brushed the dirt off of his pants, illuminated by the glittering stars littering the sky as he continued, "...It was nice to meet you, Ouma!  Haha... I hope we can see each other again..."_

_Ouma couldn't deny that at that moment, it felt as if his world was falling apart, and before he knew it, he was on his feet, taking Amami's hand in his own as he stuttered out, "...U-Um, you should come back tomorrow after school..."_

_Amami let out a small chuckle, squeezing Ouma's hand gently as he replied, his light green eyes practically glowing in the darkness of the night, "Of course, a leader needs their sidekick, right?"_

 

They had only been 11.

~

_Ah, Ouma, I'm sorry, I'm going to Kaede's house today._

_Hey, would it be okay if Kaede came with us?_

_Kaede, Kaede, Kaede, Kaede,_ Ouma was beginning to feel nauseous every time that the Ultimate Pianist's name was spoken, and he could feel his blood boiling as he read the last text message sent by Amami, whom he didn't really see often since he was always so busy with his _new_ friend.

 

**Amami**

_Hi, Ouma!  I'm really sorry, but Kaede made plans to go to the movies and she already bought the tickets... I feel like it would be rude to turn her down, so I don't think I'll be able to come over to your house, sorry... ^.^'_

 

He hurled his phone on to his bed, tears of frustration gathering in the corners of his dark purple eyes as he balled his hands into fists.  He knew it was pitiful, he _knew_ , but days had turned into weeks, and weeks had turned to months... Amami hadn't hung out with him for two _months_.  If Kaede hadn't showed up, none of this would be happening, none of this... Ouma allowed the tears to overflow and stream down his cheeks, like liquid crystals...

He fell forward on to his bed, burying his face into his pillow as he tried to fend off the despair overwhelming him, his desperate longing for Amami...

~

The next day, he'd been targeted.

"... _Gaahh_... d-damn you..." Ouma sputtered out, clawing desperately at the hands wrapped around his neck as he scowled into the emotionless crimson eyes searing into his very being, "...L-Let go... _agh_... T-The Ultimate Supreme R-Ruler shouldn't be treated so l-lightly... _aaaahhh_..."

He grimaced when the boy's grip tightened, and he inhaled a strained breath, the frustration festering in his chest growing as the other replied in a completely unsympathetic voice, "Ultimate Supreme Ruler?  What an utterly boring and useless talent, I could easily do it..."

A whine slipped passed Ouma's lips, and he could feel himself losing consciousness, his breaths coming out ragged as he glared into those blood red eyes.  His arms fell limply at his sides, and he let out a choked gasp when he was finally released, collapsing on to the floor while clutching frantically at his neck.  Tears had formed in the corners of his eyes, and he panted as he scowled up at the expressionless boy, who scoffed and dug the tip of his boot into Ouma's stomach, causing the boy to cry out in pain.

"...Awww... How cute!  You're really adorable wreathing in despair down there, Ouma-chan!" Junko Enoshima; the one who had started this whole ordeal, cackled as she knelt down beside the trembling Ouma, gently running a hand throughout his dark purple hair before yanking his head up abruptly, "...Kukuku...!  You're so defiant, but you know you're nothing without Amami, it's pathetic!"

She stroked his tear stained cheek tenderly, her sharp nails digging into the boy's pale skin as she continued, "He has Kaede-chan now, you're nothing to him... pupupupu...!  He'll forget about you soon..."

"Shut up!" Ouma's voice was hoarse as he screamed, but Junko just snickered, releasing his and beckoning for the expressionless boy to come stand by her, "...Amami won't forget about me... he w-won't..."

Junko grinned malevolently, flashing a peace sign at him as she wrapped her arms around the crimson eyed male's torso, their footsteps resounding throughout the corridor as they headed off.  A sob rose in Ouma's throat, and he slammed his fist into the floor, tears cascading down his cheeks as he curled in on himself, his body trembling with pain and fury.  Thoughts of Amami flooded his mind, how he was probably with Kaede right now, completely unaware that Ouma had just been tortured and left to rot...

But then, would he even care anyway?

~

_"...Why won't they leave me alone...?" A fifteen-year-old Ouma whimpered out, blacks and blues littering his collarbone that turned his pale skin a sickening shade of purple, "...It hurts..."_

_His dark purple eyes glistened with tears as Amami sat down beside him, in his arms a first-aid-kit filled with different medical supplies.  He pursed his lips together as he retrieved some bandages and disinfectants, his voice soothing when he replied, "...I know, Ouma... I wish I could tell you why, but I can't... they're just... bad people... you don't deserve the things they do to you..."_

_He wiped at the cuts on Ouma's face, smearing the dried blood, and gently placed a bandage over the cut, stroking the smaller boy's cheek gently.  Ouma could feel the tears overflowing and streaming down his cheeks, but he couldn't help it, and he relished in Amami's warmth when the light green haired boy brought him closer into an embrace, feeling secure in Amami's arms..._

_"...I won't let them touch you again..." He murmured softly into Ouma's ear, and in turn the smaller boy clutched tighter on to his shirt, relaxing against the light green haired boy's body..._

_~_

Ouma couldn't take it anymore.  He limped mindlessly throughout the corridors of the academy, his slender body dripping with blood as he stumbled forward, desperate to find Amami's dorm.  _Maybe Kaede will be there_?  He thought amusedly, his mind a miscellany of hysteria mingled with despair as he finally reached Amami's door, sure that his fists would be bruised with how hard he knocked on the wooden door.

"...Amami-chan...?" He choked out in-between a small snicker, tears streaming down his cheeks as he continued, his mind a muddle of feverishness, "...It's Ouma, let me in!"

Moments later, the door creaked open, revealing a drowsy-looking Amami, whose light green eyes widened in shock when he saw Ouma; his white clothes dyed crimson, tears streaking his cheeks, yet still he smiled... A choked sob escaped passed his lips, and he stepped towards his horrified friend, clutching tightly on to his baggy dark gray shirt as he whimpered out, "...Amami, I can't take it anymore..."

He glanced up into those gorgeous green eyes that swirled with confusion mingled together with concern, tears streaming down his cheeks as he continued deliriously, burying his face in the taller boy's chest, "...I love you so much... I can't do this, Amami..."

"...What...?  Ouma, what happened...?" Amami's normally smooth voice was filled with concern, but Ouma only continued sobbing, repeating '...I love you...' over and over until his words blended together and became incoherent, "...Who did this to you...?"

"...I don't know what to do... it hurts so bad when you're around Kaede, I hate it..." He clutched weakly at Amami's shirt, his voice desperate as he whimpered, his dark purple eyes wide and glistening with fresh tears, "...Make it stop, Amami... please..."

He could feel the other boy hesitantly return the embrace, and he savored Amami's touch, another sob escaping passed his lips as the taller boy gently ran a hand throughout his hair, brushing the dark purple strands out of his eyes.

"...I'm sorry, Ouma..." He whispered as he held the smaller boy close, tears gathering in the corners of his light green eyes as he cradled his head closer to his chest, tightening his grasp around the boy, "...I'm so sorry..."

Ouma's dark purple eyes widened in surprise when Amami grabbed his chin, their lips crashing together in one beauteous moment of affinity.

hope  
hōp/  
noun  
noun: hope; plural noun: hopes  
1.  
a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.  
"he looked through her belongings in the hope of coming across some information"


	2. Chapter 2

lie 2

 

lī/

 

_noun_

 

noun: **lie** ; plural noun: **lies**

  1. **1**.

an intentionally false statement.

"Mungo felt a pang of shame at **telling** Alice **a lie** "




Ouma Kokichi's life had always been shrouded in despair; his parents rejected him, he was constantly bullied for his surreal dreams and child-like appearance, and he didn't even have anyone to go to for help. He didn't believe in things like hope, it was just a word that people preached so that they could fool themselves into believing they weren't despairing. There was nothing for him to live for; every day his body would become even more damaged, littered with purples and blues that melded together to form dark bruises, he thought he would never be free of their torture...

But, as if his dismal world enveloped in blackness suddenly exploded into millions of vivid colors, he met Rantarou Amami. He was convinced that the boy was an angel; after they met each other, suddenly the bullying stopped, his parents didn't seem to matter anymore, he wasn't _alone_. 

He wondered if maybe his life wasn't as forsaken as he'd thought. But Ouma had never been that fortunate.  He had started developing feelings for Amami, ones of love that escalated into an unhealthy obsession, and instantaneously, the one that had liberated him became the root of all of his problems.

Maybe that was why he had done it; grabbed the kitchen knife, sliced through his own wrists and pulverized his arms until they were peppered with crimson gashes that dripped with blood on to his clothes.  He hadn't _meant_ to go to Amami's room in the middle of the night afterwards, but his mind was so clouded with despair that everything _hurt_ , and isn't the only option in a situation like that to go to the one you love? He clutched at Amami's baggy dark gray shirt with his trembling hands, wondering if it was all real.  Was Amami _really_ kissing him or was he so delirious from the blood loss that his wildest fantasies were coming true?  No, that didn't matter, reality or not, it was still happening, and that's all that mattered.  He melted into the kiss, warmth spreading throughout his body as he clung to the taller boy's waist, refusing to relinquish his grip until Amami pulled away in need of oxygen. 

Ouma could feel the tears welling up in the corners of his eyes as he wondered if this really was just a dream, and a cruel one at that, but no matter how much he tried to will himself awake, Amami was still in front of him.  Amami had still kissed him.

"...W-Why...?" He managed to stammer out in a hoarse voice, wanting so desperately to touch the other boy more, but scared that Amami's actions had been driven off of sympathy only and he had destroyed their relationship completely, "...Aren't you in love with Akamatsu-chan...?"

Amami cradled the smaller boy's head closer to his chest, and Ouma could swear that he saw something glistening in the corners of those light green eyes as he replied in a guilty voice so unlike his normally composed tone, "...Ah, I don't play the role of a childhood friend very well, do I...?  I'm sorry, Ouma, I'm so sorry... I'm not in love with Kaede..."

Ouma felt as if he couldn't breathe, listening to the light green haired boy's next words that were filled with so much pain; the pain that he'd been hiding so well over the years, "...I've only ever loved you, Ouma, only you..."

~*~

_"Happy birthday, Amami-chan!"_

_Pinks and blues poured down on to Amami the moment that he entered Ouma's room, and he blinked his light green eyes slowly, glancing down at the colorful confetti littering the floor like sprinkles on a cake.  He couldn't wrap his head around what had just happened until he saw Ouma's overly happy expression as he giggled childishly, rainbow streamers hanging off of the walls.  Everything clicked; and he realized that today was his birthday._

_Ah, how could he have forgotten?_

_"Hey, Amami-chan!  Don't space out, I've been planning this all day!" Ouma pouted as crocodile tears formed in the corners of those dark purple eyes, and Amami couldn't help but feel so grateful that he had met this oh-so lovable little ruler._

_Before he could stop himself, he brought Ouma into an embrace that he hoped would somehow convey his happiness to the smaller boy, his normally calm voice wavering as he spoke softly, "...Aha... I'm sorry if I'm making you uncomfortable, but I don't know what else to do..."_

_Ouma tensed up in his hold but relaxed after a moment, teasing in that adorably playful voice of his, "...Nishishishi... Amami-chan, now isn't the time to be impressed, we haven't even gotten to the fun part yet!"_

_Amami released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, refusing to relinquish his grip on the smaller boy as he attempted to handle the torrent of happy emotions swirling in his chest, feeling disappointed when Ouma pulled away._

_Even the self-proclaimed liar looked flustered from the intimacy, but he still kept his trademark smile, reaching for Amami's hand as he spoke in that adorably excited voice of his, "Amami-chan, I thought you were smarter!  Why do you think I asked what kind of cake you liked?"_

_The taller boy let out an awkward chuckle as Ouma led him into the kitchen where said cake awaited him, a love he hadn't realized existed before festering in his chest. He couldn’t remember the last time that someone celebrated his birthday; his parents were so caught up in their work overseas that they couldn’t even spare him a mere phone call, and as the years passed, his birthday just became like any other day._

_“Ah, Ouma, when did I tell you what day my birthday is on?” He would have liked to believe that he’d brought it up in a conversation and forgotten it, but he felt like he would have remembered something like that, so he stared questioningly down at Ouma._

_However, instead of offering a reasonable response, the smaller boy brought a finger to his lips, a mischievous smirk on his face as he snickered,“...Nishishishi... I have my ways, Amami-chan...”_

_The taller boy decided to accept it, knowing he wouldn’t be able to get a more logical answer out of the boy, and nearly tripped over his own feet when Ouma halted. On the table was a chocolate cake slathered with an even darker brown frosting; red, orange, blue, and other colored sprinkles littering its top. Amami could smell the sweet scent wafting in the air, and as he stepped closer, he felt as if there were butterflies in his chest. There, sloppily but still nicely written in dark purple frosting, was something he would always remember._

_Happy Birthday, Amami-chan!_

_Thank you for coming into my life, you’re really everything I could ask for._

_Amami couldn’t help but feel a sudden fondness for the little ruler, who had probably put so much time and effort into this. It was just so Ouma-like; the boy would never say anything so mushy out loud, but he would still somehow convey his feelings, be it indirectly._

_Amami felt warmth pooling in the pit of his stomach, but he noticed a purple smear underneath the last part of the message. Peering down at it, he could make out a very smudged ‘I’ and ‘You’, but he couldn’t identify what the word in the middle was._

_“Hey, Amami-chan, why do you look so confused?” Ouma piped up from beside him, and Amami thought that his heart skipped a beat when the smaller boy’s facade faltered for a moment, revealing a doubtful expression._

_He realized that he must have given off the impression that he didn’t like it, so he smiled warmly at the other boy, his light green eyes shining fondly, “...Thank you, Ouma...”_

~*~

Amami had started viewing Ouma in a different light after that.  The boy became one of the most important people in the world to him, and slowly, Amami began to realize that his feelings extended passed the boundaries of just childhood friends.  He'd get flustered whenever Ouma would do something as simple as brush against him, he'd space out marveling over how ethereally beautiful the Ultimate Supreme Ruler was, his dreams were plagued constantly by the boy's smile, until it all became too much to disregard as 'just a coincidence'. 

No, he had fallen in love with his childhood friend, Ouma Kokichi.

But it didn't end there.  His yearning for the boy only grew, and with it, so did his sorrow.  He wasn't the type to have a hard time hiding his feelings, so it was simple to pretend as if everything was completely okay, but not even he didn't slip up sometimes. 

It had happened late on Wednesday evening, when he had been settled on his bed, entangled in the white sheets and clinging to one of his many pillows.  He'd been sick for the passed few days, therefore he hadn't been able to make it to school, and had text Ouma only a couple of hours ago.

 

**Amami**

Hey, sorry to bother you, but could you bring me over the assignments I missed after school please? 

 

**Ouma**

Of course, Amami-chan!  But, what's this?  If you're sick, shouldn't you be sleeping instead of playing on your phone?  Maybe Amami-chan's not actually sick and just skipping school!  Hmm... suspicious...

 

**Amami**

...Haha... No, I assure you that I have unsuccessfully tried falling asleep for the passed three hours...

 

**Ouma**

So you just gave up? :O  Amami-chan, I didn't think you were the type to quit so easily!

 

**Amami**

At least I tried? 

 

**Ouma**

Trying isn't good enough!  You have to rest so you can come back to school and see me >.<!  I'm so lonely!  It's unforgivable that you left me here!  Unforgivable! >:(

 

**Amami**

Don't worry, I'll be back to serving you tomorrow ^.^

 

He hadn't gotten a reply after that, and he'd just assumed that Ouma had gotten bored of their conversation.  However, now, three hours after school had ended, Ouma still hadn't responded.  Amami knew he may be over-thinking things, but he couldn't help but feel like something was off, so he typed a text to Ouma and made his decision: he'd go to the school.

 

**Amami**

Are you still going to come over?

 

Luckily, the building wasn't too far away from his house, so it only took a few minutes to get there.  However, by the time he did reach the school, he was fighting against the nausea festering in the pit of his stomach, leaning against the wall for support.  With each step he took, his vision became blurrier, until he couldn't distinguish what was around him anymore.  The blood rushed to his head as he staggered forward, letting out a sharp cry when all of sudden a throbbing pain spread throughout the side of his head, and he realized he had fallen down the stairs.

He inhaled a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself, but tears had already begun to form in his eyes, and he lurched forward when the nausea in his stomach became too much.  His head pounded as he puked, the foul taste causing him to grimace.  He collapsed on his side when he was sure he couldn't puke anymore, panting and drenched in his own sweat as he stared blankly up at the ceiling.

"...Amami-chan...?" Just as he felt himself slipping into unconsciousness, he heard a familiar voice, and he weakly lifted his head up to stare into two dark purple eyes shimmering with worry, "Why are you here?  Aren't you sick?"

Ah, it was Ouma. 

Amami blinked away the blurriness so that he could see the Ultimate Supreme Ruler's face more clearly, taking in his pale skin and long lashes.  He breathed out a long sigh and reached to touch Ouma's cheek with one trembling hand, only to immediately pull away when Ouma started rambling on and on about how, 'he forgot that he had a detention today' and 'he was looking for his book because he lost it'.  Ouma's voice was like a soothing lullaby despite the fact that he was panicking, trying to get a response out of Amami but to no avail.

The light green haired boy could feel himself losing consciousness, but he still managed a small smile before the blackness fully enveloped him.

~*~

Ouma had taken him home after that, nursing Amami back to health for the rest of the day.  Of course, that hospitality came with a parade of insults and taunts, but the gentleness in the Ultimate Supreme Ruler’s touch was all the proof Amami needed to know that he cared.

He returned back to school a few days later; the only remnants of his sickness being a runny nose and the occasional cough, which Ouma fussed over for the majority of the day.

“Amami-chan!” His persistence was truly a force to be reckoned with, “Are you sure you’re not sick anymore? I don’t want to have to clean up your puke again!”

Ah, did he have to mention that?

Amami let out an awkward chuckle, a light blush dusting his cheeks that he hoped Ouma didn’t notice, “I’m perfectly fine, Ouma! I’m starting to think that you want me to stay home.”

Ouma’s expression darkened into something much more malicious, and he brought a finger to his lips, his dark purple eyes gleaming malevolently, “...Nishishishi... Maybe I do want Amami-chan to stay home! I like hanging out with Saihara-chan much better!”

Amami didn’t need to hear the following _just kidding_ , spoken in that playful voice of his, to know it was a lie.

The boy giggled, grabbing a hold of Amami’s hand as they walked side by side down the hall, “I could never get bored of my beloved Amami-chan!”

Amami smiled, squeezing Ouma’s hand a little tighter then before.

~*~

“Hmm, a transfer student, then?” Amami inquired, tilting his head as he continued, “And you want me to show her around?”

Chisa nodded, smiling apologetically as she hastily pulled out the file for the new student- Kaede Akamatsu- and held it up for him to see, “Yep, yep! Sorry for the short notice! I’d show her around if I wasn’t so busy, but desperate times call for desperate measures!”

She patted him on the back, causing him to shrink back from her touch, and placed the file in his hands, prattling on like a mother would about her child, “And get this, Amami, she’s the Ultimate Pianist! What a hard-working girl, to do so much, and at such a young age! I’m sure she’ll be a great addition to the class!”

She didn’t give Amami a moment to reply, smiling as she turned to leave, “Anyway, she’ll be here soon, I’ll be counting on you to show her the ropes, Mr. Straight A student!”

Amami nodded as she left, feeling worn out by the chipper teacher. He let out a small sigh, glancing at the clock to see how much time he had left, before setting the file down on his desk.

 _Kaede Akamatsu_ , he thought as he studied her picture, her light violet eyes meeting his own green ones, _Just who are you?_

~*~

“Oh, hi, are you Amami-kun?” Kaede had questioned upon walking into the room, and Amami had smiled; a smile that never failed to make anyone around him feel at ease.

“Ah, yep, that would be me,” he’d confirmed in that smooth, suave voice of his, taking her hand in his own to shake as he added, “You don’t have to worry about me, I’m not a suspicious person.”

And Kaede had laughed, her light violet eyes full of life and energy. She had smiled at him, introduced herself- though Amami already knew most of it from her file- and they had gone on their way.

The mind was an unpredictable thing, and when it was muddled with desperation, it could only brew heinous thoughts.

Rantarou Amami didn’t consider himself a coward, but the day he said ‘I love you’ to Kaede, he couldn’t have felt more like one. He still didn’t understand why he took her hand; nor why he accepted her as his girlfriend. All he knew, was that as the phone in his pocket rang out with a text from Ouma, he felt like he was locking away his feelings for the boy deep within his heart, the moment he shut off his phone, and placed a chaste kiss on Kaede’s lips.

~*~

“Amami-chan?” Ouma sounded meek as he spoke- which he shouldn’t, _goddammit_ , because they were best friends- and glanced at Kaede, “Um, I know you’re probably Akamatsu-chan’s partner for this project, but no one w-wants me, so...”

 _Did he just stutter?_ Amami thought as he stared down at the boy, whom had dark bags under his eyes, and tangled hair that obviously hadn’t been washed in a while, _Is this really Ouma?_

The last time Amami had seen Ouma in such a broken, _scared_ state was when they had first met. Ouma had been bullied often at that time- both physically and mentally- and it had caused him extreme anxiety and depression. Amami had confronted the bullies, making sure they knew full well that there would be consequences if they hurt Ouma anymore, and it had stopped. He clenched his fist at the thought of them preying on Ouma now that Amami wasn’t there to protect him.

“...Amami-chan...?” Ouma was looking up at him, worry written on his face, and Amami’s expression softened.

“Ah, Kaede, would you mind?” He asked, unable to turn down the Ultimate Supreme Ruler like he had for so many months, and Kaede nodded.

“Of course, Amami-kun!” She beamed at him, and, as she passed by to partner up with Tenko ( _Whom was very relieved she wouldn’t have to partner up with ‘a filthy boy like Ouma’_ ), she gently tapped the little ruler’s arm, “Take care of yourself, Ouma-kun.”

~*~

“...Are those painkillers...?” Amami asked as him and Ouma settled themselves on the boy’s bed; notebooks and pencils scattered around them for the project, and Ouma smiled at him.

“Yep, I twisted my ankle about a week ago and it _really_ hurt, so I took some! I just haven’t gotten around to putting them away.”

 _Then why is more than half of the bottle gone?_ Amami wanted to say, but he bit his lip and returned back to his book without another word about it.

~*~

“...Amami...” Kaede said his name in-between a heated kiss, a blush dusting her cheeks as she squirmed underneath him, “...Amami...”

Her clothes were disheveled, hanging off of her thin body, and hickeys littered the side of her neck. Amami knew he should feel _something_ , but all he could think of was how Ouma would look right now, pinned underneath him, his face flushed and his eyes watering...

He broke their kiss, a thin string of saliva connecting his lips to Kaede’s own.

 _Why am I doing this?_ He thought, staring into the Ultimate Pianist’s light violet eyes, _This is wrong, this isn’t Ouma... I shouldn’t be doing this to Kaede..._ _She deserves someone better than me..._

He hadn’t realized he’d gone silent until Kaede reached up to stroke his cheek, a bittersweet smile forming on her face, “...Oh, Amami... Did you finally realize it...?”

 _Realize what?_ He wanted to ask, but he couldn’t when she was looking at him with such a sad expression, “You don’t love me, do you?”

“...What...” He fumbled with his own tongue, a new-found terror coursing throughout his veins because she _knew_ just how bad a person he was now, “...What do you mean...?”

She let out a small sigh, one that was meant to sound annoyed, and poked his cheek, “You love Ouma-kun, don’t you?”

He blinked slowly, not really processing what she’d said, until he felt his eyes watering and she wiped away the tears that had begun to form in his eyes.

“Amami-kun, don’t cry, silly,” she was obviously trying to sound chipper for his sake- which wasn’t fair because after what he put her through, _he_ should be suffering- but her voice was sad as she continued, “...I kind of realized it a while ago, you know? You always were so distant from me, but with Ouma-kun you became this whole other person! I thought that with time, I could make you as happy as he does, but I don’t think I’ll ever be as special to you as Ouma-kun is...”

She let out a humorless laugh, tears forming in the corners of her light violet eyes that she had obviously been trying _so hard_ to stop, and brought a hand to her heart, “But I’ve accepted that. So I’ll try to get over it! I don’t hate you for what you did, Amami-kun, and even now, I still want to be friends. I just don’t think we were meant to be together...”

“But, still, would you kiss me just one last time?”

~*~

Amami let out a small sigh, recalling his conversation with Kaede earlier that night. He’d taken advantage of her, and for that he would be eternally sorry, but he still couldn’t help but hope that they could somehow reconcile and become friends. She had said that, right?

“ _I don’t hate you for what you did, Amami-kun, and even now, I still want to be friends_.”

He wondered if those words were true, and if so, he would make sure that he didn’t fail her a second time.

“...Amami-chan...?” He was brought out of his stupor by Ouma, whom was curled up beside him, entangled in the sheets and blankets, “...Are we dating now...?”

Ah, that was right.

After Ouma had shown up at Amami’s doorstep, teary eyed and proclaiming his love for his childhood friend, he had taken the smaller boy into his room. There, he had patched up the Ultimate Supreme Ruler’s injuries, comforting him with soothing words and gentle kisses, before Ouma had drifted into sleep. Now that it was morning, Ouma’s fragility seemed to have worn off, and he was asking questions left and right.

“Yes, Ouma, how many times do I have to do this-” he leaned in to plant a chaste kiss on the boy’s forehead, “-to prove it to you.”

Ouma giggled childishly, and Amami wondered if he’d only asked that because he knew he would receive affection for it.

“...Nishishishi... So does that mean we can start having sex now?” Amami nearly jumped out of the bed at Ouma’s shameless statement, and when he turned to look at the Ultimate Supreme Ruler, there was a sly smile on his face, “Calm down, Amami-chan! I’m not serious!”

Amami let out an exasperated sigh, flicking Ouma in the forehead and watching as the Ultimate Supreme Ruler- rather cutely- pouted, “Really? I’m not sure I’m buying that, _Kokichi_.”

Now it was Ouma’s turn to look embarrassed.

“Wow, Amami-chan, you can be shameless when you want to be” he giggled, burying his face in the crook of Amami’s neck to hide the blush forming on his face as he added, “...Hmm... I’m not dreaming right now, am I, Amami-chan? You love me, right?”

Amami wrapped his arms around the smaller boy, planting a chaste kiss on his lips before he replied, “Of course, my little ruler.”

 

truth

tro͞oTH/

 

 

 

_noun_

noun: **truth**

  1. the quality or state of being true.

"he had to accept the truth of her accusation"




**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woohoo, I finished it!
> 
> I know this was a bit of a sappy ending, but I'm a sucker for happy endings, and I just couldn't picture this fic having a sad ending... ^.^'
> 
> Anyway, I like to imagine Amami and Kaede becoming good friends after all of this, and Kaede getting in a relationship with Saihara. And then them all going out on double-dates and Ouma causing chaos.
> 
> I hope this was satisfactory; I've been working on this for at least two months (...Haha... I had writer's block for most of it but that's fine...)

**Author's Note:**

> I'm actually really happy with how this turned out, though I'm sorry about how many times it switches from different scenes. I do admit that at the end I was really anxious to finish so it might have been written a bit badly, but overall I hope it was enjoyable! I'm thinking of doing a sequel, but it really depends on if people like it or not... ^.^


End file.
